When the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler in a blockbuster trade at the deadline in February, there were concerns about how he would complement Steph Curry's game and how his personality would mesh alongside Draymond Green.
Any questions or reservations about Jimmy Butler's fit with the Warriors can be put to rest, as the Warriors are now 10-1 in the games he's played in.
Butler and Curry lead Dubs in comeback victory over Brooklyn
After trailing by as many as 22 points in the first quarter to the Brooklyn Nets, Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler put together a valiant effort to win the game in a thrilling comeback yesterday evening. This is now the second time the Warriors have overcome a large deficit with Jimmy Butler, as they did it back on Feb. 8 in Chicago, trailing by as much as 24 points in that contest.
The Warriors scored 40 points in that second quarter of play to cut into the Nets' lead and cut the deficit down to just five points as Steph Curry hit a miraculous fadeaway buzzer-beater before halftime to continue building that positive momentum.
Jimmy Butler proved to be pivotal in the minutes Curry was not on the floor, as the team was plus-18 in those minutes. Butler contributed 25 points, six assists, and three steals, and was a perfect 10-of-10 from the free throw line. Curry scored 24 of his 40 points in that second half and nailed seven shots from distance, leading the Dubs to victory.
Postgame quotes from Steph Curry and Steve Kerr:
"Jimmy obviously helps. He helps a lot," Steph Curry said after last night's win on Jimmy Butler. "It's led to winning because we have a good balance and a good flow, and his impact on the game is pretty obvious...the idea that we have a good understanding of how to win games with this specific team, it's been fun to play."
The Warriors' five-game road trip concluded, and they finished with a record of 4-1. They will now begin a seven-game homestand.
"Steph just had an incredible trip," Steve Kerr said after the win last night on Steph Curry's performances on the road trip. "Put on a show in every city. What he does is amazing. Just the show that he puts on, the joy that he brings to so many fans that are coming to see him play in all these different cities. Every fanbase loves Steph, and there's a reason he's incredible."
Numbers show Jimmy's impact on the Warriors
The record with and without Jimmy Butler is a night-and-day difference for the Warriors, but the numbers back up just how much of an impact he's made on the team.
From Oct. 23 through Feb. 6, the Warriors ranked 10th in defensive rating (112.2), 18th in offensive rating (111.8), 16th in net rating (-0.4), 26th in field goal percentage (44.4 percent), 14th in 3-point percentage (36.2 percent), and they ranked last in the NBA in free throw percentage (72.0 percent).
Since the acquisition of Butler, the Dubs are fourth in defensive rating (108.5), fifth in offensive rating (121.0), third in net rating (12.0), 18th in field goal percentage (46.5%), 15th in 3-point percentage (34.8 percent), and now the best free throw shooting team in the NBA (85.6 percent).
In their 11 games together, Jimmy Butler is averaging 17.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.3 steals. Curry, on the flip side, is averaging a whopping 30.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 6.0 assists and is shooting on 51/44/90 splits over that stretch.
Warriors in the playoff race
As it currently stands, the Warriors are the sixth seed in the Western Conference and are just 3.5 games behind the Grizzlies for a top-four seed in the West.
According to Tankathon, the Warriors have the 11th most difficult strength of schedule with 19 games left. They still have matchups against the Lakers, Knicks, Grizzlies, and Nuggets twice ahead of them.
Teams want to be playing their best basketball in March and April to build momentum heading into the postseason, and they're doing just that. The Warriors have an opportunity now, with their upcoming seven-game home stand, to take advantage of playing in front of their fans and continue climbing the standings.
If Jimmy Butler and Steph Curry continue playing at a high level, they have an opportunity to be a legitimate title threat in the West and could potentially make a deep postseason run. We've yet to see playoff Jimmy in Golden State, but if he plays to that standard, nobody wants to see the Warriors in a seven-game series.